I’ve noticed two things in recent days, the first highly welcome, the second sadly predictable. The welcome bit is that yesterday evening showed the days have just begun to stree-ee-etch themselves the tiniest bit, giving a faint hint of longer, warmer days ahead. The second is that some unionist politicians appear to be suffering from hamster syndrome (selective).
Let’s leave the first matter – the annual miracle of light – and simply be grateful for it. Moving on to the hamster syndrome (No, Virginia, the goldfish actually has quite a good memory), reaction to the Belfast City Hall flag and to the recent Haass talks suggests that unionist politicians are finding it hard to remember what was said or done in the recent past.
To recap. In the matter of the flag, Belfast City Council had two opposing views: the unionist view that the flag should fly 365 days a year, the nationalist/republican view that it shouldn’t fly at all or should fly alongside the Irish tricolour. Since none of these options appeared likely, a compromise was reached: the Union flag should fly on some 18 occasions in the year. What happens next? Unionist politicians act as though no compromise had ever been reached, go into reverse gear and demand the re-instatement of the 365-day Union flag.
As to the Haass talks, the hamster memory-loss thing has kicked in even more markedly. After Haass and O’Sullivan had been sent back to re-do their homework no less than seven times, a final document was produced and handed to all parties. Agree or disagree? UUP leader Mike Nesbitt, who at the last plenary session apparently was all for accepting it, now declares he’s flat-out against it. Cue image of hamster. The DUP, having received the final document, says “Well, not bad, Dr Haass. You’ve given us a final document, the product of several months of negotiating. Know what we need now? For all parties to sit down and start negotiating”. Haass suggests fish or cut bait/piss or get off the pot. The DUP suggests it’s a good time for all involved to discuss fishing, bait, pots and pissing. Cue image of second hamster.
Over time, we’re told, the hamster can be helped develop a better memory. Whether unionist politicians can be helped remains to be seen. But – to change the metaphor – one thing is sure: you can’t breast the 800 metres tape and then declare this to be a good point from which to start a marathon. Haass was quite clear: he didn’t negotiate with us for six months so we could pick up his document and do another seven redrafts. You’ve talked the talk, guys. Time to walk the walk.
I think Robin Williams has it right, we need to sit them all down with a couple of guys called Vinnie:
Peter Robinson ,realising it would look bad to have to give the real reason why the DUP/himself was rejecting the draft, since the OO told him they wouldn’t accept codes of conduct imposed on them, has put out the statement claiming it would be acceptable to him/Gibson. Only if more stuff was removed[codes of conduct on marchers]. Took a couple of days for him to work out how to avoid telling his real reason for rejecting Haass solution.Mervyn Gibson is in effect now the DUP leader.
You may be on to something, AG. Btw, I was talking to a woman who reads my blog and responses and she selected your good self as an outstanding contributor. ‘What a pity someone like him wouldn’t go into unionist politics!’ …Bow from the waist, slowly.
If my wife reads that compliment I’ll be banned from my laptop.
I Gregory Campbell at the same nonsense this morning. He seems to think that the other 3 parties will worsen their position on the 3 strands while giving unionists all their unreasonable demands. I take it the grass is blue and purple in his world.
It’s certainly odd behaviour by the UU leader. (Thinks: does ‘odd’ mean ‘uncharacteristic’? In that case…)